President Pahor decorated the American troops who helped the ship Tamar after it had caught on fire far from the U.S. East Coast. Two crewmembers, a Slovenian and a Filipino, were injured, while two sailors from the Philippines were killed.
The troops are trained for such mission, but rescues at night and far out in the ocean are never without danger. In the darkness of night, the troops had to parachute out of an airplane at the height of 4000 meters.
According to Major Edward Boughal, his rescue squadron was the only unit that could come to the ship's aid. “We reached the ship and boarded it from the above. Our medical crew took care of the injured. We then steered the ship for 36 hours to the point where it could be reached by a Portuguese helicopter,” he said when describing the rescue mission.
According to President Pahor, bestowing medals for such actions is one of his most pleasant tasks, especially when he is recognizing those who have helped Slovenians in need. The condition of the injured Slovenian sailor is reportedly improving. The American troops wish both injured men a speedy recovery.
Radio Slovenija;: translated by J. B.